A federal criminal complaint filed Tuesday alleges that Chinese nationals paid up to $50,000 to enter into sham marriages in the hopes of obtaining lawful permanent resident cards — often referred to as “green cards” — that would allow them to legally live in the United States, according to the U. S. Attorney’s Office.

Arrested this morning were Jason Shiao, 65, of Santa Fe Springs, who allegedly posed as an immigration lawyer, and his daughter, Lynn Leung, 43, of Pasadena.

A third defendant charged in the case — Shannon Mendoza, 48, of Pacoima — is being sought.

Shiao and Leung were taken into custody by special agents with U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and were expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in U. S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

The affidavit in support of the complaint outlines a scheme in which Shiao and Leung allegedly: – lined up U. S. citizen “spouses” for their clients; – coached the couples on how to make the marriages appear genuine when questioned by immigration authorities; – prepared and filed immigration petitions; and – created fraudulent paper trails for the “couples,” including phony apartment leases, wedding photos and bank statements.

Shannon Mendoza

The investigation began in September 2012. Anyone with information about Mendoza’s whereabouts was urged to call investigators at (866) 347-2423.